Govind Tekale
The Nobel Prizes are given on Dec 10, the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, in whose memory the prizes are given. Like the Olympics, it is considered a great honour for the individual as well as the nation to get a Nobel prize. The Nobel Prize is a recognition of an individual/institution for excellence in different fields. There are 6 categories of Nobel Prizes. Medicine, physiology, chemistry, physics, literature, peace and economics.
The USA has got a majority of Nobel Prizes. One of the reasons for this is the freedom the scientists get to work on their choice of topic. Another reason is the encouragement given for fundamental research. The autonomy of Universities and scientific bodies contributes to research in the USA.
As of 2024, 627 Nobel Prizes have been awarded across all categories to over one thousand individuals and organizations since 1901. A total of 976 individuals and 28 organizations have been awarded the coveted prizes so far. The King of Sweden gives a diploma and medal to all the Nobel laureates on 10 December. Generally, the Nobel Prize winners are announced in October every year.
Alfred Nobel (1833- 96, a Swedish chemist and engineer), endowed the Nobel Prize. Once a Nobel Prize is announced, the winning individual or organization becomes world famous. If one is an author, his/ her books become bestsellers. Rabindranath’s Gitanjali, an anthology of poems, originally in Bengali became known worldwide. The winners of the Nobel Prize become icons. The individuals and organizations, honoured by the Nobel Prize, become famous and almost immortal.
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Sir CV Raman, who won the Nobel Prize in physics, worked from a lab with instruments that cost hardly a few thousand. Kissinger, the former US Secretary of State, received the Nobel Peace Prize. He died recently at the age of 100. A Nobel Prize winner becomes a Noble person.
Anybody can nominate a person for the Nobel Prize. It is up to the Nobel Prize Committee to examine the proposal and either accept or reject it. In short, Nobel Prizes are given every year for 6 fields of knowledge namely physiology/ medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, peace and economics. They are announced in October annually. The winners receive the prize, comprising a diploma and a medal and prize amount from the King of Sweden on 10 December, the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, who endowed it. More than one thousand individuals and organizations have been honoured with the Nobel Prize. Americans dominate the list of Nobel Prize winners.
